ECM launches Agroscan ultrasound veterinary devices for pregnancy detection

ECM of France has launched Agroscan – a complete range of ultrasound scanners for veterinary use, suitable for performing ultrasounds on sows, cows, mares, ewes and goats. The Agroscan L is completely innovative as it is the only portable device to use both sector and linear probes.

ECM will be present at several upcoming trade fairs, including the VIV trade fair in Moscow, Russia, from 1 to 3 June 2005.

Agroscan scanners can be used to detect pregnancy and to diagnose reproduction in large animals. The Agroscan concept allows the user to detect non-pregnant animals very soon after insemination and therefore helps to reduce the number of non-productive days, while at the same time improving technical results. In pig farming, for instance, the use of the ultrasound scanning method leads to an average gain of between 1 and 1.5 piglets per sow.

Agroscan devices are very easy to use, come equipped with an internal battery and are very light weight. The carrying strap makes them easy to transport while keeping the user’s hands free. The products are extremely reliable and provide a high image resolution.

The range includes the Agroscan L equipped with a linear rectal probe (ALR 500 or ALR 575) for cows and mares, which has a battery power of four hours. For sows, the Agroscan A8 has three hours of battery life, and was voted the best portable scanner at the Eurotier 2004 trade fair. The Agroscan A16 (three hours of battery life) is the only portable device to detect pregnancy and measure back-fat with the same sector probe. The Agroscan A7 (one and a half hours of battery power) is the latest in the ECM range, with the best quality/price ratio. For pigs and cattle, the Agroscan L comes equipped with a ‘wide’ abdominal linear probe (ALAL 350 of 3.5MHz) to measure abdominal fat and muscle. Finally, for ewes and goats, the Agroscan L is equipped with the ALA linear abdominal probe of 3.5MHz (four hours of battery power). Users can also work with a sector probe and therefore use the A8 or A16 or even the new A7.